Featured Members

Gloria Conway has always dabbled in crafting, beginning with trash-to-treasures while raising three children.  After the last child left for college she took a class painting on fabric.  Next she tried pyrography but that didn’t develop because she went to work for an optometrist until retiring in 1999.  
Gloria and her husband moved to North Port in 2000 and began trying a variety of mediums. First she tried decorative painting, preferring to paint on glass and wood surfaces. While smaller wooden surfaces are made for her by her brother (wine glass caddies and boxes for trivets) she has also painted tables, chest of drawers and even walls.
A desire to try different things has lead to classes in ceramics, drawing, water colors, scrap-booking, crocheting, knitting, and Swedish weaving. This list won’t stop here. There are other things she wants to try as time permits. 

Although Judy Cowan Lee is a native Floridian she has spent time in the North Carolina mountains, the new Jersey area and Pennsylvania, all the while continuing to paint and explore new areas of creativity. Judy likes to experiment with different styles and techniques, which take her work from non-objective abstracts to colorful figurative pieces. She also works in series such as her fabric of life series in which her paintings take on the three dimensional look of fabric wrapped figures or her carousel series, which she uses the animals of the carousel to depict various stages of life. Part of the carousel series hangs in a loft in the Tribeca area of new York City.

Judy earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Florida International University, Miami, Florida in 1993 with high honors and was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honors Society, she was granted a scholarship from the American business Women's Association.

Working with children of grade school age as an art teacher has been very rewarding for Judy. While in North Carolina, she was invited to be a visiting artist at two public schools. She has also taught children's art at Venice Art Center in Venice, Florida and is currently teaching at the North Port Art Center in north Port Florida.

Judy has worked as a scenic artist at the Venice Little Theatre since returning to Florida in 206, she has also worked at Parkway Playhouse in Burnsville, North Carolina and the Leonia Guild Players in Leonia, New Jersey.

After retiring from both Pennsylvania and Florida school systems. Kathy Danskers decided to fulfill her life long desire to explore her creative side. She took a class at The William Holland School of Lapidary Arts in Northern Georgia, where she studied Glass fusing from Addie Depetro and fell in love with the wonders of fused glass. She studied under Addie three more times as well as Rich Dillion, Nancy Calloway and Renee Wright. She also studied glass from Petra Kaiser at Edison College in Fort Myers, Florida. Kathy especially likes to manipulate very hot glass to produce unique pieces.

In addition to fusing glass, Kathy also wraps her pieces in sterling and gold wire. She studied under the talented Dianne Rinehart at the Visual Arts Center in Punta Gorda, Florida.

In 2010, she persuaded her husband to take a class in opals at William Holland because she loves opals. The pieces he created were so beautiful that she decided to study opals under Joe Depetro last summer. She and her husband have cut all types of opals including top opals from the Lightning Ridge Mines in Australia. Pieces have been constructed from boulder, Ethiopian and precious opal.

Last year Kathy taught herself to cut Cabochons. Her favorite stone is Dominican Larimar with its beautiful sea blue color and attractive patterns. Kathy and her husband journeyed to the mine in the Dominican Republic where the stone is mined exclusively.

Kathy has projects in the North Port Art Center and can be found at the North Port Farmer's and Craft Market on Saturdays, where she loves to explain her techniques with others.

Beth Hornick moved here from Michigan in 2005. She began taking pottery classes with Howard Hartke at the Visual Art Center in Punta Gorda.

Since January of 2011 she has been a member of the North Port Art Center. Beth continued to study with Howard right here in our new Pottery Studio. She has created several masks for next year’s Vision North Port Mardi Gras Ball, to be sold in their fund raiser. The masks have been on display at the North Port Art Center,

North Port Library and will also be at City Hall.

Beth also assisted in the Clay Studio of the North Port Art Center helping the community create bowls for "Bowls of Hope". She also studies with Art Instructor Sandi Hilliard studying oil on wet canvas.

Beth has a flare for the unusual, creating wonderful, fun and functional clay pieces that are glazed with food safe finishes that are also dishwasher safe. Her works range from whimsical and bright to carefree and organic.

In addition to pottery Beth also creates imaginative and unusual wire wrap jewelry using polished stones, shells, and a variety of semi precious stones and beads.

Her works may also be purchased at the North Port Artisans Port Gift Shop. Beth may be commissioned to create that special piece you always dreamed of.

Paula Kelling. While most young kids were asking their parents to buy them the latest toy that they saw on television I was begging my parents to take me to the Ringling Museum of Art. Since I was a young girl I've been passionate about anything and everything that I could create with my own two hands whether it was writing short stories for my mother to read or trying to replicate the night sky with pastels on construction paper. Now that I'm 28 and a mother to an amazing five year old little girl, my passion for the arts is just as strong as it was back then. When a program director from Suncoast Workforce, who is helping me to find a job after being laid off from my dental assistant position, suggested that I volunteer at the North Port Art Center to gain work experience in another field, I could barely contain the smile on my face. Being a resident of North Port for nearly 17 years I never knew that we had such a gold mine of talented and genuinely caring and compassionate people here in our little town. I feel blessed that the Lord led me here and by his grace it is my hope to someday have a career somewhere in the art field so I may utilize the talents that God has blessed me with!

Richeile Brock moved to the area from upstate New York with her family. She has lived here for a little over a year. At 24 years old, she has a 1-year old daughter and another on the way. She loves photography, poetry and spending time with her family. Richeile is going to school to become a CNA and a Home Health Aid. She loves volunteering here at the Center. For Richeile the feeling of giving back to the community and being surrounded by so many inspiring artists is liberating.

Super Nate Boyette is an outgoing, friendly, talented and we might add, VERY STRONG man! He is on the Board of Directors here at the NPAC. He has been a member here at the Center ever since we opened the doors. His two sons are involved in many art youth activities here. Whenever there is a task that involves brain and brawn we call Mr. Nate. He always has a way, works out a plan and recruits the forces needed to get the job done. Nate now does the shopping for the NPAC office and cleaning supplies. He is also a very talented artist. Most of all we appreciate his good looks, huge smile and encouraging words to all the staff. Thank you Nate, for bringing the sunshine with you when you walk in the door! We appreciate you and all you do.

Scott Pickering, Ceramic Artist and Photographer, volunteers here at the Center on a regular basis, lending his hand to many tasks.  His up-beat, gentle, and kind personality touches everyone.  We want to thank Scott for diligently gardening our new landscape, helping in the pottery studio, and keeping things in order in both buildings.  We love his "can do" attitude.

Scott was born in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and began his artistic career in photography while living in California.  His photography reflects his love of nature, which is what drew him to Hawaii.  Scott has an appreciation for the diversity of the cultural arts.  Scott has been a member of the Venice Art Center, Englewood Art Center, Art Center Sarasota, and is now a current member of the North Port Art Center.  Scott devotes his time to mastering the art of clay.  He loves to challenge himself with new designs of textures and mixtures of shades in glazing, through the medium of clay.

Bonnie Rodgers works behind the scenes working on Grants. She puts untold hours into filling out paperwork and following through on specific requests mandated through different funding groups. Bonnie is always willing to lend a hand representing the NPAC membership table at various events. Bonnie also lends her talents by giving art demonstration to the public to represent the art center. Bonnie teaches Mixed Media art classes here at the center every Monday 1:30 to 4:30. Mrs. Rodgers also is certified to teach Art Therapy. She teaches at two assisted living facilities here in North Port and Port Charlotte.Thank you Bonnie for being such a great representative of NPAC.

Doris Benson, a native of Guilford, Connecticut, has called Florida her home since 2000. She is the youngest of twelve children. Her beautiful paintings are inspired by country scenes and ocean views. She stated that her sister, a fine artist as well, encouraged her to pursue her gift of creativity and artistic ability. Doris volunteers weekly at the Center, always ready to meet the needs of the day with a warm smile. Thank you, Doris, for sharing your time with us.

Retiring to the City of North Port in 2005 would be the beginning of a new life for Virginia Ankele Hernandez who was employed by the Federal Government and the Panama Canal Commission for a total of 30 years taking her to Japan, France, Germany, Governors Island in New York City, and the Republic of Panama; in addition to 15 years teaching English and computer classes with the Miami Dade-County Adult Education Program.

Virginia is a member of the Board of Directors for the North Port Performing Arts Association; member and volunteer at the North Port Art Center, member of the North Port Chorale, North Port Christian Women's Club, Friends of the North Port Area Library, and Sarasota Orchid Society. She is also a member, and past Queen Mum, of the Heron Creek Red Hot Herons Society that assists in supporting local community non-profit organizations and our military troops in Afghanistan.

While volunteering at the North Port Art Center, Virginia became aware of Sandy Hilliard's oil painting workshop and was inspired to take her first art class. A complete novice in the art world, Virginia completed a beautiful sunset scene in Sandy Hilliard's four hour workshop; and is looking forward to participating in Sandy's next workshop featuring an ocean scene with a lighthouse!

Born on the Plains in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, Virginia was raised in Denver, Colorado. Traveling to many countries in her professional and personal life, Virginia now resides in North Port with her husband, Victor M. Hernandez Canto, whom she met while employed with the Panama Canal Commission. They have two sons who live in Jacksonville, Florida; and a granddaughter, age 10, who will be enjoying art classes at the North Port Art Center during her visit this summer with her grandparents!

Carol Dawkins. I was born and raised in Cleveland, Ohio, and credit my artistic abilities to God and my mother's influence. Her loving hands busily awakening my senses to a world of creativity. At 13, I won first prize in the citywide pottery contest. Attending the Cleveland Museum of Art, I was tutored in pastels. My focus later turned to photography winning runner up at Rockefeller Botanical Gardens. Fiber Arts have always been intertwined in my life, also. My personal designs are in various specialty boutiques. An early retirement has afforded me time to develop my oil and acrylic painting, with a preference in oil. I am a member of the Surface Design Guild of Sarasota, on the board at the North Port Art Center and the Art Advisory Board for the City of North Port. Creating is a constant love of mine, a necessity of my life and expression of my soul. I pray you enjoy my creations as much as I have enjoyed creating them, stated Carol Dawkins.